Freshet

Product Notes

Freshet is a Finnish-American collaboration, the result of an idea that occurred simultaneously to Petri Hakala and Ruthie Dornfeld one fine spring day in 2001. While Petri was on tour in Seattle with the Helsinki Mandoliners, their paths crossed for the umpteenth time and it struck them both that it would be a very good idea to play together. So, they invited Finnish bassist Tapani Varis and American guitarist John Miller to the project, and through an international correspondence of music, tapes, CDs and mp3 files, put together a repertoire. It was an exciting moment when it all came to fruition a year later; we met in Helsinki, broke out our instruments, and played as a band for the very first time. After a wonderful two week tour we knew it couldn't end there. We met in Seattle the following year for another tour, adding some freshly written tunes to the repertoire. In the spring of 2004 we recorded this CD in Finland. Here's to cultural exchange! We hope you enjoy our music.

Freshet is a Finnish-American collaboration, the result of an idea that occurred simultaneously to Petri Hakala and Ruthie Dornfeld one fine spring day in 2001. While Petri was on tour in Seattle with the Helsinki Mandoliners, their paths crossed for the umpteenth time and it struck them both that it would be a very good idea to play together. So, they invited Finnish bassist Tapani Varis and American guitarist John Miller to the project, and through an international correspondence of music, tapes, CDs and mp3 files, put together a repertoire. It was an exciting moment when it all came to fruition a year later; we met in Helsinki, broke out our instruments, and played as a band for the very first time. After a wonderful two week tour we knew it couldn't end there. We met in Seattle the following year for another tour, adding some freshly written tunes to the repertoire. In the spring of 2004 we recorded this CD in Finland. Here's to cultural exchange! We hope you enjoy our music.